Pete Rose was the epitome of offense for most of his playing days. An absolute menace both at the plate and on the bases, Rose drove his opposition crazy. And coupled with his top-notch skills as a hitter, Rose was the ignition that kept the Cincinnati Reds firing on all cylinders.

Rose played 24 seasons in the big leagues, spending 19 of them in Cincinnati. The game’s all-time hits leader, Rose amassed over 3,300 hits with the club while also scoring 1700+ runs for the team. During his days with the Reds, Rose was selected as an All-star 13 times while collecting 2 Gold Glove awards. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1963 while winning the Most Valuable Player award ten seasons later in 1973.

Rose made it to the World Series four times with the Reds. He was part of both championship winning teams in 1975 & 1976.

Dan Driessen’s big league career last for 15 seasons. Not surprisingly, his most successful run came during his years in Cincinnati. From 1973-84, Driessen called Riverfront Stadium home as he patrolled the corners of the infield and outfield for the Reds.

A utility player, and solid athlete, Driessen used his skills to get himself on the field. A great reserve, he offered the team a role player that was able to play 4 of 8 defensive positions.

This card from the 1976 Topps baseball card set celebrates the Cincinnati Reds 1975 World Series victory over the Boston Red Sox. One of the most talked about championship match-ups of all-time, the Series featured some of the most dramatic and memorable scenes from the Fall Classic.

Often regarded as the greatest catcher of all-time, Johnny Bench displayed all of the traits of being a dominant baseball player and ultimate competitor.

Bench was : A 2-time MVP Award winner, A Rookie of the Year winner, A 10-time Gold Glove winner, A 14-time All-star, and a member of the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine” that won back-to-back championships in 1975 & 76.